Soft, fragrant Basmati rice is cooked under pressure with marinated chicken, cardamom, cloves, allspice, bay leaves, cilantro, mint, and saffron milk. Topped with fresh herbs, this Instant Pot Indian chicken biriyani is your new favorite one pot dinner that cooks in less than 15 minutes.

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Instant Pot Chicken Biriyani

Biriyani is my husbands favorite meal from our time living in the Middle East. You should know…the food game in the Middle East is out of control in the best way. You can get anything you want, the most authentic Indian, Middle Eastern, Thai (and so much more [ haaay Dairy Queen by the pool!] ) delivered straight to your door by a man on a dangerous looking motorbike. We miss the food, and the man on the motorbike, and the Dairy Queen by the pool so much.

Before you order Indian takeout, try to make it!

Good news though! Biriyani can easily be made in an Instant Pot here at home, no delivery needed. It does take a few special spices that you can find at your local International Market or online. Once you have them though, you can make chicken biriyani any time. And you will…because it’s that good.

This is definitely the Indian/Middle Eastern version of our chicken and rice casseroles here at home, total comfort food. And I’m all about that comfort food life right now.

HERE ARE A FEW INSTANT POT INDIAN CHICKEN BIRIYANI RULES:

Marinate the chicken for at least 8 hours, but if you can pull it together the night before that is best.

Don’t skip the saffron milk. Let me tell you my secret way of making it: I use a cheap baby bottle warmer (this bottle warmer) from Walmart. A bottle warmer steams a bottle to warm up the milk without scalding it. Perfect for steeping saffron milk. But wait…also melting chocolate and anything else you need a tiny double boiler for. I use a mason jar instead of a bottle.

I didn’t soak the Basmati rice. Traditionally it’s soaked for a couple of hours. I don’t like al dente Basmati so I skipped that. I also wasn’t sure how it would affect the cooking time in the Instant Pot.

Before you put the chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot, pour in a tiny bit of water to keep it from burning on the bottom.

You can use chicken pieces but bone-in chicken thighs (mostly) and legs make it so much better.

Cook on Manual for 13 minutes. Remove the chicken and fluff the rice with a fork, slightly mixing it to get all of the flavors mixed up. Serve with chicken on top, sprinkled with fresh cilantro and mint leaves.

Hey- you’ve made it this far, and now we’re BFF’s. If you make this recipe, I would love for you to give it a star rating below (scroll to the comments). Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Instructions

Start by frying the onions in Grapeseed oil until deeply caramelized. Medium heat for 25 minutes.

Make the marinade for the chicken: Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 Tbsp water in a blender (I use magic bullet) to make a paste. Combine the paste with half of the fried onions, yogurt, red chili powder*, cinnamon, coriander, garam masala, salt, lime juice, onion oil, cilantro, and mint. Let sit for at least 8 hours, but best overnight.

Prepare the saffron milk by warming milk and adding saffron threads. Allow to sit for 30 minutes or more.

Layer marinated chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot, then rice and water. Add the fresh herbs, whole spices, saffron milk, other half of the onions, and ghee.

Close the lid of the Instant Pot and push the toggle on top toward “sealing”. Press Manual and select 13 minutes using the + – control

Release the pressure immediately by pushing the toggle on top toward “venting”*.

Remove the chicken and fluff the rice with the fork, stirring gently to combine all of the flavors.

Garnish with fresh cilantro and mint leaves

Notes

*Red Chili Powder: This is a spicy chili powder (not American chili powder) it is very spicy so use as much as you like. 1 tsp makes it medium spicy.

* Venting the Instant Pot: I use a long handled wooden spoon to release the steam, keeping my hands away from the toggle.

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Hey! It is nice to meet you!

Im Amy, they call me Amy-Cakes and I LOVE to cook! I’ve lived and eaten (most importantly) all over the world; including Italy, Iceland, and the Middle East. I’ve recently settled down on a Virginia Farm with my husband and two kids where I feed all the living things. I believe that good food is a universal language and I love sharing that with you here.

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